Andrew Cuomo on Free Trade

Democratic Governor

Start-Up NY: expand foreign trade to boost upstate economies

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday plans to announce an effort to expand trade between New York companies and foreign countries. The initiative represents the latest attempt by Cuomo to boost struggling upstate economies and to address criticism of the
state's corporate-tax system, which the governor himself has derided as unfriendly to business. The program also could signal a greater willingness on the part of the governor, who has been reluctant to promote himself outside
New York state, to play a role on a larger stage by boosting New York's impact around the globe.

It would be the second phase of a program the state launched this month, Start-Up NY, creating zones, mainly in upstate regions,
in which companies can establish themselves while being relieved for a decade of having to pay state taxes.